Pelargonium plant named ‘REGBECHER’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named ‘REGBECHER’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; red-colored flowers with white-colored centers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and no requirement for cooling treatment for flower development.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘REGBECHER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of RegalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘REGBECHER’.

The new Regal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new early flowering Regal Geranium plantswith unique and attractive flower types and colors.

The new Regal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2009 of twounnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium grandiflorum, notpatented. The new Regal Geranium plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany during the spring of 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Regal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany since October, 2010 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Regal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘REGBECHER’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘REGBECHER’ as a new and distinct Regal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Red-colored flowers with white-colored centers that are held        above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.    -   6. No cooling treatment required for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in flower coloration as plants of the parentselections had lighter-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the newRegal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants ofPelargonium grandiflorum ‘REGBEDARE’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 13/998,291. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed fromplants of ‘REGBEDARE’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were shorter with shorter        internodes than plants of ‘REGBEDARE’.    -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were more freely branching        than plants of ‘REGBEDARE’.    -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had larger leaves than        plants of ‘REGBEDARE’.    -   4. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and ‘REGBEDARE’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘REGBEDARE’ had darker red-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can also be compared to plants ofPelargonium grandiflorum ‘REGBEPI’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 13/998,292. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed fromplants of ‘REGBEPI’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were more vigorous than        plants of ‘REGBEPI’.    -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and ‘REGBEPI’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘REGBEPI’ had dark pink-colored        flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Regal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Regal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘REGBECHER’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter,spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Regal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. To enhance the overall planthabit, plants were exposed to eight weeks of 9° C. day and nighttemperatures; however, traditional cooling treatments are not requiredfor flower initiation and development. Plants were six months old whenthe photograph was taken and nine months old when the detaileddescription was taken. In the detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘REGBECHER’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous growth            habit; freely basal branching habit with numerous lateral            branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 45 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 7.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly cordate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cordate, open.        -   Margin.—Bi-serrate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;            leathery.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 138A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Not observed.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single flowers            arranged in inversely conical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; flowers face upright to mostly outwardly;            freely flowering habit; about five flowers per umbel with            about 40 umbels developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin            flowering about five months after planting; plants do not            require a traditional cooling treatment for flower            initiation and development; in the garden in Germany, plants            flower during the spring and again during the summer.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 7 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl; two upper and three lower petals; petals imbricate.            Length, upper petals: About 3.5 cm. Length, lower petals:            About 3.2 cm. Width, upper petals: About 3.5 cm. Width,            lower petals: About 2.5 cm. Shape, all petals: Obovate.            Apex, all petals: Rounded. Base, all petals: Cuneate.            Margin, all petals: Entire; undulate. Texture, all petals,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color,            all petals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 46B; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,            close to 59A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 69B; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,            close to 59C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute; somewhat reflexing. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 146B.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3 cm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About nine. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Tubular. Anther color: Close to 77A. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm.            Stigma shape: Five or six-parted. Stigma color: Close to            61A. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to 61B.            Ovary color: Close to 147C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Regal Geranium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal    Geranium plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about    35° C. to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named‘REGBECHER’ as illustrated and described.